TN govt opposes Vedanta Sterlite Copper plant SC move, says have enough oxygen stock

As Vedanta's permission to produce Oxygen for medical purposes ends on July 31, the TN government has opposed the company's move to get an extension by moving the Supreme Court. The state said that it has sufficient stock of medical oxygen.  

Vedanta, a multinational company is looking for SC direction in getting an extension of oxygen production from the controversial Sterlite Copper Plant in Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin. However, the present DMK government is opposing the very move of the company by stressing that the state has sufficient medical oxygen stock and claims that the reopening may lead to law and order situation.

Due to the oxygen crisis during the Covid second wave in the country, the Supreme Court had allowed the plant to operate only with the condition for the medical oxygen production till July 31 which ends tomorrow. The permission was granted on April 24.

Recently, the TN govt claimed that it did not come across any case where a patient had died due to an oxygen crisis. Interestingly, the SC will hear Vedanta's plea on the continuation of oxygen production on August 6.

Earlier in 2018, the plant was shut after 13 protesters demanding closure claiming environmental hazards were shot dead. Two years later in 2020, even Madras HC had rejected the plea of the company citing the same reason of environmental hazards. The company then wanted to restart its operation only on a trial basis.

In its efforts to get the court's attention, the government also informed the court about possible law and order problems at the plant site and nearby villages if the plant is allowed to reopen.

But due to the oxygen crisis during April-May, the apex court at that time observed that a functional plant will address the oxygen shortage crisis faced by the country due to Covid second wave which was at peak then.

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